


Stay With Me

by Skyepilot



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Confessions, Coulson's scar, Crying Phil Coulson, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Love, Love Confessions, Skye is the best, Tahiti, UST, skoulsonfest2k14, supportive Skye
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-26
Updated: 2014-08-26
Packaged: 2018-02-14 20:52:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2202723
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyepilot/pseuds/Skyepilot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>August 27th - Skoulsonfest: TAHITI.  </p><p>Ficlet.  Skye is supportive of Coulson, but what happens when he tells her the truth about Project: TAHITI?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay With Me

They reached his room and Skye helped him as he collapsed against his bed, propping himself up with one arm.

"We need to figure this out," she said seriously. "You can't keep going like this."

She had found him in the storage room, again. Writing on the back wall in the darkness.

The first time it had been out of curiosity and frustration on her part.

She had been looking for Coulson all evening, and when Koenig wasn't looking, she peeked at the lanyard tracker and saw that Coulson was in the storage room and it was way past work hours.

Remembering the tension as she had approached him, flashlight in hand, seeing him scrawling with a cutting instrument into the wall...it had terrified her.

It felt so apart from the man she knew.

Yet, somehow, she had managed to be strong enough to touch his shoulder and watch his blank eyes refocus and felt him list towards her and into her arms, dropping the blade with a clatter.

Just like he had tonight.

"I need to show you something," he said, breaking her from her thoughts.

She heard him grunt and push himself to a sitting position.

Skye sat down on the edge of the bed next to him, worrying over his weakened state.

She nodded as he looked over at her, waiting.

Coulson slowly grabbed the bottom of his t-shirt and pulled it up over his head.

He sat there breathing steadily for a moment, his eyes shut, leaning against the mattress for support.

"Your scar," she said, staring at the raised and discolored skin. "That's where Loki..."

"Yes," he said, licking his lip nervously.

She never imagined the size of it, you couldn't not see it.

You couldn't unsee it.

I remember you telling me...once," she began. "That you got a second chance."

He turned sharply towards her, gazing her over.

"I'm sorry, I don't _want_ to upset you," he said softening at her empathetic face.

"No, I'm not upset," she said, reaching her hand out towards his chest, then stopping herself.

Her watery eyes went up to his, asking permission.

When he didn't give any, she withdrew her hand back to her side, as he reached forward, grasping it by the wrist.

"I wasn't just dead for a few hours, Skye," he said. "I was dead... _for days_."

Skye's eyes went wide.

" _What am I_?"

She thought about Garrett. And hypographia.

Coulson had called it that.

She had helped him to conceal the writing on the wall, had agreed to help him research it, but these episodes were taking their toll.

Simmons _still_ didn't know.

"We'll find answers. Together," she reassured him.

"There's something else," he said, letting go of her wrist.

Reaching to his bedside, he opened the nightstand drawer and handed a USB drive to her.

"What's this?" she asked as she took it from him.

"More secrets," he said, shame at the edges of his voice.

"Then tell me," she asked.

She leaned towards him as he stared back at her, unable to speak.

Grabbing his hand she placed the USB back in his palm, closing his fingers over it with hers.

" _Tell me_."

He had no right to show her this. To ask this of her.

And she was being so gentle.

He felt ashamed.

"May found this. She showed it to me the night she came back, after Providence," he said, holding the drive in his fingers. "It's a recording, and it's about Project: TAHITI."

"That's what brought you back, where you got the GH-325," she said, realizing he might have some real answers here.

"Skye," he said, staring down at his hands. "I was in charge of Project: TAHITI."

" _Wha.._? How...is that possible?" she asked, suddenly out of breath.

"I wanted to tell you," he said, pleading.

"No, you didn't," she answered, offended, shaking her head at him and standing.

" _Please_ , I need you to watch it," he pleaded, a hand reaching towards her.

"Okay," she said, snapping back, suddenly cool. "Let's go."

"Where?"

"Your office."

She waited for him to get to his feet as he grabbed the t-shirt and she turned as he put it back on, realizing that something very intimate had just happened between them and it had escaped her somehow.

The door opened and he waited for her to walk through and then followed.

Wordlessly, they walked down the hall towards his office, passing the dimmed nighttime scenes in the fake windows.

They entered his door and Coulson locked it behind them.

Skye went to his desk and plugged the drive into the port of the handheld control, pulled it up on the screen.

Carrying it back over, she went and sat down on the couch with him.

Glancing over at him, she put her hand over his in solidarity and squeezed it before starting the playback.

He watched her face all through it, as they sat in the near darkness.

Even as she withdrew her hand from over his.

He made himself watch.

Even as tears started to slide down her cheeks.

The pain in his chest wasn't from the scar this time.

She pulled the flash out of the control and sniffled, handing it back to him.

As he put it down on the table in front of him, he stared at it, wishing this small little thing away.

Hating everything it represented.

About himself.

Skye wiped at her eyes and said, "You resigned."

He nodded.

"That's why you wanted me to watch it, you resigned," she said and suddenly threw her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

Clinging to her, he felt himself start to shake as Skye held him.

All the lies, the secrets, his part in it, not even understanding completely.

He didn't want to be that man anymore.

"Shhh," she said, her knee balancing her on the couch as her hands came to his face. "It's okay."

He grasped her arms and felt her lips on his forehead, her thumb brushing at the streaks on his cheek as they sat, holding one another.

A few moments passed until the heat of their bodies made it uncomfortable.

"Does this mean you're an Avenger?" she asked, breaking the quiet.

Coulson felt himself start to chuckle, despite the fact that he had fallen apart only seconds before.

Raising his head out of her arms, he stared back at her, fighting a smile.

Skye watched his eyes, and then reached between them, hesistant, letting her hand finally slide under and up the front of his shirt.

Coulson opened his mouth in surprise, silently going rigid, as he straightened at the edge of the couch.

Her fingers delicately touched the scar, as she watched his expression, his face fighting to maintain control even as she felt his heart beating up through his chest into her hand.

"No matter who you were," she said. " _This_ is who you are _now_."

Sighing, he leaned back into the couch, and as she fell forward he tugged at her waist, pulling her further onto his lap.

It was dark, but he was sure he could see a flush across her face as her hair brushed his neck.

This had gone far beyond simple comfort and now it was here hovering between them.

She put both hands at the edge of his shirt, and it was as if she was asking again.

He took it from her and finished taking it off up and over his head, tossing it aside.

Staring at his scar, she reached out with a hand once more and ran her fingers over it.

"Does it hurt?" she asked, swallowing.

"Sometimes," he breathed, eyes never leaving her. Studying her expression.

His hands wandered from her waist and began to trace the edges of her hips.

"What do you want right now?" she managed to ask, looking away from his scar and back at his eyes.

He thought and swallowed.

"I want to kiss you."

He considered her for a moment, then, leaned forward, with slow intention, the other hand guiding her toward him, fingers in her hair as their mouths met, gently letting the warmth spread from their lips through their bodies.

Taking in a breath he drew himself into her, pulling them towards the end of the couch and holding onto her waist as he sighed, her softness driving him deeper.

"I wish I understood...how you see me as... _more_ ," he said against her lips.

"Isn't that how you see me?" she asked. So clearly, without hesitation.

"Yes. _Always_."

"Then, maybe you should let me return the favor."

She kissed him again, slow kisses, open mouthed, not pushing or rushing, just filling.

"I've never felt so safe."

"How can you say that?" he asked, sitting back. "After what you just saw?"

"Because you told me. _Because_ hiding it was hurting you more than the risk of losing me. That's why."

"Yes," he said, realizing it for himself, putting his hand over his mouth.

"You love me," she said, bravely, a tear trickling down her cheek. "I shouldn't know that, you haven't said it. But, I do."

Wiping away her tear with his thumb, he caressed her face and pressed his lips to hers.

"Stay with me, Skye."

" _Always_."


End file.
